C.I.W.?

[kellysgirl]

I should be grateful if anyone could tell me what this photo represents. It was given to our local history society by one of the older residents of Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire. They look to be munitions workers from The Great War and the blackboard they hold bears the words: 'C.I.W. II Batt. The Royal Blue'. The workers, mostly women, wear overalls and hats and seem to have a variety of badges. One woman wears an armband bearing a star. Another seems to have an armband with some sort of cross logo. During WW1 there were two munitions factories in Chalfont St Peter. I'm wondering therefore if these ladies and men were munitions workers? All suggestions appreciated.

[dink_and_pip]

Definately munition workers. The womens uniforms and some triangular badges. What were the factories around there?

[Jim Strawbridge]

Has been discussed before.

 

Abbreviation still doesn't appear to be clear, though.

[centurion]

Just to add even more confusion The Royal Blue was the name of a bus company and also of a china (pottery) works at that time (also a name for Everton Football Club!) The bus company did run services to the Chalfonts

[kellysgirl]

Definately munition workers. The womens uniforms and some triangular badges. What were the factories around there?

Not sure exactly what the local factories turned out, but one of the munitions factories still stands. It has very thick walls, of course, but is now a garage. We also had war hospital supply depots locally where ladies rolled bandages and sewed stump dressings etc. There is the famous painting [viewable at www.scarlettfinders.co.uk - a fascinating site all about WW1 nurses] of the 'War Hospital Depot Gerrards Cross' though, strictly speaking, it would have been in Chalfont St Peter.

[lft]

Is anything known about the work that was being done in the munitions factory that is still standing or where the other factory might have been?

[lft]

Could this be the WW1 munitions factory in Chalfont St Peter? When was it active and what was being produced there?

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw036293?user=46537&ref=18

[Neil Mackenzie]

I have been asked to add the following info by Peter Jackson (a non member).

Both my mother and her sister were Inspectors of Munitions at Woolwich during the Great War. Their job was to check samples of the production of the girls on piece work, and if it was not up to standard they RED CARDED it. This meant the girls who produced it were not paid for, thus the Inspectors (who were on a lower but fixed salary) were extremely unpopular. At the same time the workers used all sorts of dodges such as hammering cases into breaches etc, or moving explosives in the rain, just to boost their earnings. Irrespective of the fact their shells would be duds or worse still fall short and explode in our own trenches.

[kellysgirl]

Could this be the WW1 munitions factory in Chalfont St Peter? When was it active and what was being produced there?

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw036293?user=46537&ref=18

Yes, that would appear to be the old munitions factory, on Lower Road. Many villagers are aware it was a Ww1 munitions works but no-one has a clue what was produced there. It was (and is) a strongly re-inforced building with the river Misbourne running close behind it. The villager who brought in the photo did not know if the team in the photo were connected with these premises. Thank you all for your replies.